The Spice Girls addressed the recent departure of Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell for the first time, but offered little insight into the singer's decision to leave the group.

Speaking with Britain's Radio 1 just before launching the group's U.S. tour on Monday night, Scary Spice Mel B echoed the party line that the Girls have been towing since Halliwell left the Spice camp last month (see "NEWS FLASH: Geri Halliwell Quits Spice Girls").

"It's just a case of moving onward and forward," Mel B told radio host Kevin Greening, breaking the group's collective silence on the issue. "She's happy, and we're getting on with our planned schedules."